Pro tip: That "free" VPN extension you installed is probably selling your browsing data

I read a report last week from a data broker that showed 4 out of 5 free VPN browser extensions are actually spyware in disguise. They track every site you visit and sell that info to ad companies. I had one installed for 6 months thinking it was protecting me, but it was doing the opposite. The worst part is they put legit-looking reviews on the Chrome store with fake 5-star ratings. I uninstalled three extensions after checking my actual data usage. Has anyone else looked into what their browser extensions are really doing?

2 comments

2 Comments

jesse_craig267d ago

The same thing happened with those "free" weather apps a few years back. Everyone thought they were just checking the forecast but they were actually selling location data to insurance companies. It's like this whole system where if you're not paying for a product, you ARE the product. Even those free recipe websites with 50 pop up ads are tracking your clicks and selling that info. I started reading the privacy policies on everything and it's honestly scary how much data they collect just for basic stuff.

barbaraw167d ago

You know, @jesse_craig26, I used to think people were being dramatic about this stuff. I figured, who cares if a weather app knows where I live? But then my neighbor found out her car insurance went up because her driving data got sold by a gas station rewards app. That woke me up. Now I see how these little free tools are just data collection machines. Even those online quizzes about "what kind of pizza you are" are feeding your answers to advertisers. It really does make you stop and think before you click "agree" on anything.